[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2307 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 752
110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2307

                          [Report No. 110-341]

    To amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 2007

  Mr. Kerry (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Nelson of 
   Florida) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

                              May 22, 2008

                Reported by Mr. Inouye, with amendments
  [Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Global Change Research Improvement 
Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:


 
 

      TITLE I--AMENDMENT OF THE GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH ACT OF 1990

Sec. 101. Amendment of Global Change Research Act of 1990.
Sec. 102. Changes to findings and purpose.
Sec. 103. Changes in definitions.
Sec. 104. Change in committee name and structure.
Sec. 105. Change in National Global Change Research Plan.
Sec. 106. Integrated Program Office.
Sec. 107. Budget coordination.
Sec. 108. Research grants.
Sec. 109. Evaluation of information.
Sec. 110. Repeal of obsolete provision.
<DELETED>Sec. 111. Ice sheet study and report.
<DELETED>Sec. 112. Hurricane frequency and intensity study and report.
Sec. 111. Reporting.
Sec. 112. Independent review of GCRP products.
Sec. 113. Scientific communications.
Sec. 114. Aging workforce issues program.
Sec. 115. Authorization of appropriations.
              <DELETED>TITLE II--NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE

<DELETED>Sec. 201. Amendment of National Climate Program Act.

                   TITLE II--NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE

Sec. 201. Amendment of National Climate Program Act.
Sec. 202. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 203. Findings.
Sec. 204. Purpose.
Sec. 205. Definitions.
Sec. 206. National Climate Service.
Sec. 207. Reauthorization.
                    TITLE III--TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Sec. 301. National Science and Technology Assessment Service.
                  TITLE IV--CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY

Sec. 401. NIST greenhouse gas functions.
Sec. 402. Development of new measurement technologies.
Sec. 403. Enhanced environmental measurements and standards.
Sec. 404. Technology development and diffusion.
Sec. 405. Authorization of appropriations.
                     TITLE V--ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE

Sec. 501. Abrupt climate change research program.
Sec. 502. Purposes of program.
Sec. 503. Abrupt climate change defined.
Sec. 504. Authorization of appropriations.

      TITLE I--AMENDMENT OF THE GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH ACT OF 1990

SEC. 101. AMENDMENT OF GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH ACT OF 1990.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this title an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Global Change Research 
Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2921 et seq.).

SEC. 102. CHANGES TO FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    Section 101 (15 U.S.C. 2931) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    ``(a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) According to the 4th Assessment Report of the 
        Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, most of the observed 
        increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th 
        century is very likely due to the observed increase in 
        anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.
            ``(2) Human-induced changes, in conjunction with natural 
        fluctuations, may lead to significant alterations of world 
        climate patterns. Over this century, these changes could 
        adversely affect world agricultural and marine production, 
        coastal habitability, biological diversity, human health, 
        global social and political stability, and global economic 
        activity.
            ``(3) Developments in interdisciplinary Earth sciences, 
        global observing systems, and satellite and computing 
        technologies make possible significant scientific understanding 
        and prediction of global changes and their effects, and have 
        resulted in the significant expansion of environmental data and 
        information.
            ``(4) Development and strengthening of effective policies 
        to mitigate and adapt to global change will rely on improvement 
        in scientific understanding of global environmental and 
        societal processes and on development of information that is of 
        use to decisionmakers at the local, regional, and national 
        levels.
            ``(5) Although significant Federal global change research 
        efforts are underway, an effective Federal program will require 
        improvements in interagency coordination, coordination with the 
        activities of local, regional, State, private, and 
        international entities, and increased levels of Federal 
        resources.
            ``(6) Although the United States Global Change Research 
        Program has made significant contributions to understanding 
        Earth's climate and the anthropogenic influences on Earth's 
        climate and its ecosystems, the Program also needs to produce 
        information that better meets the expressed needs of 
        decisionmakers.
            ``(7) Better predictions of future climate conditions at 
        the regional level are desirable to inform decisions, including 
        those related to land, water, and resource management.
            ``(8) Improved understanding of global change is needed to 
        identify risks and vulnerabilities under plausible climate 
        futures to assist decisionmakers in the development of policies 
        to help ensure that ecological, social, and economic systems 
        are resilient.
            ``(9) In order to more effectively meet the needs of 
        decisionmakers and the public, the research agenda of the 
        United States Global Change Research Program and its 
        implementation and products should be informed by continuous 
        feedback from users of information generated by the Program.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to provide for the 
continuation and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated United 
States observation, research, assessment, and outreach program which 
will assist the Nation and the world to better understand, assess, 
predict, mitigate, and adapt to the effects of human-induced and 
natural processes of global change.''.

SEC. 103. CHANGES IN DEFINITIONS.

    Section 2 (15 U.S.C. 2921) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (2) through (7), respectively;
            (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated, the 
        following:
            ``(1) `climate change' means any change in climate over 
        time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of 
        human activity;'';
            (3) by striking ``Earth and Environmental Sciences'' in 
        paragraph (2), as redesignated and inserting ``Global Change 
        Research''; and
            (4) by striking ``Federal Coordinating Council on Science, 
        Engineering, and Technology;'' in paragraph (3), as 
        redesignated, and inserting ``National Science and Technology 
        Council established by Executive Order 12881, November 23, 
        1993;''; and
            (4) (5) by striking paragraph (4), as redesignated, and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(4) `global change' means human-induced or natural 
        changes in the global environment (including climate change and 
        other phenomena affecting land productivity, oceans and coastal 
        areas, freshwater resources, atmospheric chemistry, 
        biodiversity, and ecological systems) that may alter the 
        capacity of Earth to sustain life;''.

SEC. 104. CHANGE IN COMMITTEE NAME AND STRUCTURE.

    Section 102 (15 U.S.C. 2932) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``earth and environmental sciences.'' in 
        the section heading and inserting ``global change research.'';
            (2) by striking ``Earth and Environmental Sciences.'' in 
        subsection (a) and inserting ``Global Change Research.'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (14) and (15) of subsection 
        (b) as paragraphs (15) and (16), respectively, and inserting 
        after paragraph (13) the following:
            ``(14) the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
        of the Department of Commerce;'';
            (4) by striking the last sentence of subsection (b) and 
        inserting ``The representatives shall be the Deputy Secretary 
        or the Deputy Secretary's designee (or, in the case of an 
        agency other than a department, the deputy head of that agency 
        or the deputy's designee).'';
            (5) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Subcommittees and Working Groups.--The Committee may 
establish such additional subcommittees and working groups to carry out 
its work as it sees fit.''; and
            (6) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in subsection 
        (e)(6); and
            (7) by redesignating paragraph (7) of subsection (e) as 
        paragraph (8) and inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) work with appropriate Federal, State, regional, and 
        local authorities to ensure that the Program is designed to 
        produce information needed to develop policies to reduce the 
        impacts of global change; and''.

SEC. 105. CHANGE IN NATIONAL GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PLAN.

    Section 104 (15 U.S.C. 2934) is amended--
            (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
        following:

``SEC. 104. NATIONAL GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT PLAN.'' ;

            (2) by redesignating subsections (a) through (f) as 
        subsections (b) through (g), respectively, and inserting before 
        subsection (b), as redesignated, the following:
    ``(a) Strategic Plan; Revised Implementation Plan.--The Chairman of 
the Council, through the Committee, shall develop a strategic plan for 
the United States Global Climate Change Research Program for the 10-
year period beginning in 2008 and submit the plan to the Congress 
within 1 year after the date of enactment of the Global Change Research 
Improvement Act of 2007. The strategic plan shall include a detailed 
plan for research, assessment, information management, public 
participation, outreach, and budget. budget and shall be updated at 
least once every 5 years.'';
            (3) by inserting ``and Assessment'' after ``Research'' in 
        subsection (b), as redesignated;
            (4) by striking ``research.'' in subsection (b), as 
        redesignated, and inserting ``research and assessment.'';
            (5) by striking ``this title,'' in subsection (b), as 
        redesignated, and inserting ``the Global Change Research 
        Improvement Act of 2007,'';
            (6) by inserting ``short-term and long-term'' before 
        ``goals'' in paragraph (1) of subsection (c), as redesignated;
            (7) by striking ``usable information on which to base 
        policy decisions related to'' in paragraph (1) of subsection 
        (c), as redesignated, and inserting ``information relevant and 
        readily usable by local, State, and Federal decisionmakers, as 
        well as other end-users, for the formulation of effective 
        decisions and strategies for measuring, predicting, mitigating, 
        and adapting to'';
            (8) by inserting ``development of regional scenarios, 
        assessment of model predictability, assessment of climate 
        change impacts,'' after ``predictive modeling,'' in paragraph 
        (2) of subsection (c), as redesignated;
            (9) by striking ``priorities;'' in paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (c), as redesignated, and inserting ``priorities and 
        propose measures to address gaps and growing needs for these 
        activities;''
            (10) by striking paragraphs (6) and (7) of subsection (c), 
        as redesignated, and inserting the following:
            ``(6) make recommendations for the coordination of the 
        global change research and assessment activities of the United 
        States with such activities of other Nations and international 
        organizations, including--
                    ``(A) a description of the extent and nature of 
                international cooperative activities;
                    ``(B) bilateral and multilateral efforts to provide 
                worldwide access to scientific data and information, 
                and proposals to improve such access and build capacity 
                for its use; and
                    ``(C) improving participation by developing Nations 
                in international global change research and 
                environmental data collection;
            ``(7) detail budget requirements for Federal global change 
        research and assessment activities to be conducted under the 
        Plan;
            ``(8) include a process for identifying information needed 
        by appropriate Federal, State, regional, and local 
        decisionmakers to develop policies to plan for and address 
        projected impacts of global change;
            ``(9) identify and sustain the observing systems currently 
        employed in collecting data relevant to global and regional 
        climate change research and prioritize additional observation 
        systems that may be needed to ensure adequate data collection 
        and monitoring of global change;
            ``(10) identify existing capabilities and gaps in national, 
        regional, and local climate prediction and scenario-based 
        modeling capabilities for forecasting and projecting climate 
        impacts at local and regional levels, and propose measures to 
        address such gaps;
            ``(11) describe specific activities designed to facilitate 
        outreach and data and information exchange with regional, 
        State, and local governments and other user communities;
            ``(12) identify and describe ecosystems and geographic 
        regions of the United States that are likely to experience 
        similar impacts of global change or are likely to share similar 
        vulnerabilities to global change; and
            ``(13) include such additional matter as the Committee 
        deems appropriate.'';
            (11) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d), 
        as redesignated, and inserting the following:
            ``(1) Global and regional research and measurements to 
        understand the nature of and interaction among physical, 
        chemical, biological, land use, and social processes 
        responsible for changes in the Earth system on all relevant 
        spatial and time scales.
            ``(2) Development of indicators, baseline databases, and 
        ongoing monitoring to document global change, including changes 
        in species distribution and behavior, changes in oceanic and 
        atmospheric chemistry, extent of ice sheets, glaciers, and snow 
        cover, shifts in water distribution and abundance, and changes 
        in sea level.'';
            (12) by adding at the end of subsection (d), as 
        redesignated, the following:
            ``(6) Address emerging priorities for climate change 
        science, such as ice sheet melt and movement, the relationship 
        between climate change and hurricane and typhoon development, 
        including intensity, track, and frequency, decreasing water 
        levels in the Great Lakes, and droughts in the western and 
        southeastern United States.
            ``(6) (7) Methods for integrating information to provide 
        predictive and other tools for planning and decisionmaking by 
        governments, communities and the private sector.'';
            (13) by striking ``and'' in paragraph (2) of subsection 
        (e), as redesignated;
            (14) by striking paragraph (3) of subsection (e), as 
        redesignated, and inserting the following:
            ``(3) combine and interpret data from various sources to 
        produce information readily usable by local, State, and Federal 
        policymakers, and other end-users, attempting to formulate 
        effective decisions and strategies for mitigating and adapting 
        to the effects of global change; and'';
            (15) by adding at the end of subsection (e), as 
        redesignated, the following:
            ``(4) establish a common assessment and modeling framework 
        that may be used in both research and operations to project, 
        predict, and assess the vulnerability of natural and managed 
        ecosystems and of human society in the context of other 
        environmental and social changes.''; and
        <DELETED>    (16) by striking ``change research.'' in paragraph 
        (2) of subsection (f), as redesignated, and inserting ``and 
        regional climate research and assessment.''.</DELETED>
            (16) by striking subsection (f), as redesignated, and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(f) National Research Council Evaluation.--
            ``(1) Review of strategic plan.--The Chairman of the 
        Council shall enter into an agreement with the National 
        Research Council under which the National Research Council 
        shall--
                   ``(A) evaluate the scientific content of the Plan;
                   ``(B) provide information and advice obtained from 
                United States and international sources, and 
                recommended priorities for future global and regional 
                climate research and assessment; and
                    ``(C) address such other studies on emerging 
                priorities as the Chairman determines to be warranted.
            ``(2) Additional national research council studies.--The 
        Secretary shall execute an agreement with the National Research 
        Council--
                    ``(A) to examine existing research, potential risks 
                (including adverse impacts to the marine environment), 
                and the effectiveness of ocean iron fertilization or 
                other coastal and ocean carbon sequestration 
                technologies; and
                    ``(B) identify domestic and international 
                regulatory mechanisms and regulatory gaps for 
                controlling the deployment of such technologies and 
                provide recommendations for addressing such regulatory 
                gaps.''.

SEC. 106. INTEGRATED PROGRAM OFFICE.

    Section 105 (15 U.S.C. 2935) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), and (c) as 
        subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated, 
        the following:
<DELETED>    ``(a) Integrated Program Office.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the 
        Office of Science and Technology Policy an Integrated Program 
        Office for the Program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Organization.--The Integrated Program Office 
        established under paragraph (1) shall be headed by the 
        associate director with responsibility for climate change 
        science and technology and shall include, to the maximum extent 
        feasible, a representative from each Federal agency 
        participating in the Program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Function.--The Integrated Program Office 
        shall--</DELETED>
    ``(a) Global Change Research Coordination Office.--
            ``(1) In general.--The President shall establish a Global 
        Change Research Coordination Office. The Office shall have a 
        director, who shall be a senior scientist or other qualified 
        professional with research expertise in climate change science, 
        as well as experience in policymaking, planning, or resource 
        management, and a fulltime staff. The Office shall--
                    ``(A) manage, in conjunction with the Committee, 
                interagency coordination and program integration of 
                global change research activities and budget requests;
                    ``(B) ensure that the activities and programs of 
                each Federal agency or department participating in the 
                Program address the goals and objectives identified in 
                the strategic research plan and interagency 
                implementation plans;
                    ``(C) ensure program and budget recommendations of 
                the Committee are communicated to the President and are 
                integrated into the strategic and implementation plans 
                for the Program;
                    ``(D) review, solicit, identify, and arrange 
                funding for partnership projects that address critical 
                research objectives or operational goals of the 
                Program, including projects that would fill research 
                gaps identified by the Program, and for which project 
                resources are shared among at least 2 agencies 
                participating in the Program; and
                    ``(E) review and provide recommendations, in 
                conjunction with the Committee, on all annual 
                appropriations requests from Federal agencies or 
                departments participating in the Program.''; Program;
                    ``(F) provide technical and administrative support 
                to the Committee;
                    ``(G) serve as a point of contact on Federal 
                climate change activities for government organizations, 
                academia, industry, professional societies, State 
                climate change programs, interested citizen groups, and 
                others to exchange technical and programmatic 
                information; and
                    ``(H) conduct public outreach, including 
                dissemination of findings and recommendations of the 
                Committee, as appropriate.
            ``(2) Funding.--The Office may be funded through 
        interagency funding in accordance with section 631 of The 
        Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2003 (Pub. 
        L. 108-7; 117 Stat. 471).
            ``(3) Report.--Within 90 days after the date of enactment 
        of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007, the 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 
        report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on 
        Science and Technology on the funding of the Office. The report 
        shall include--
                    ``(A) the amount of funding required to adequately 
                fund the Office; and
                    ``(B) the adequacy of existing mechanisms to fund 
                the Office.''; and
        <DELETED>    (3) by striking ``Committee.'' in paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (c), as redesignated, and inserting ``Committee and 
        the Integrated Program Office.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting ``and the Integrated Program 
        Office'' after ``Committee'' in paragraph (1) of subsection 
        (d), as redesignated.</DELETED>
            (3) by striking ``Committee.'' in paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (c), as redesignated, and inserting ``Committee and 
        the Global Change Research Coordination Office.''.

SEC. 107. BUDGET COORDINATION.

    Section 105 (15 U.S.C. 2935), as amended by section 106, is further 
amended by striking subsection (d), as redesignated, and inserting the 
following:
    ``(d) Consideration in President's Budget.--
            ``(1) In general.--Before each annual budget submitted to 
        the Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States 
        Code, the President shall, in a timely fashion, provide an 
        opportunity to the Committee and the Integrated Program Office 
        Global Change Research Coordination Office to review and 
        comment on the budget estimate of each agency and department 
        involved in global change research in the context of the Plan. 
        The Committee and the Global Change Research Coordination 
        Office shall transmit a report containing the results of their 
        reviews to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on 
        Science and Technology no later than the date on which the 
        President submits the annual budget to the Congress under 
        section 1105 of title 31, United States Code.
            ``(2) Program items.--The President shall submit, at the 
        time of the annual budget request to Congress, an integrated 
        budget plan that would consolidate and highlight Program 
        priorities and include a description of those items in each 
        agency's annual budget which are elements of the Program.''.

SEC. 108. RESEARCH GRANTS.

    Section 105 (15 U.S.C. 2935), as amended by sections 106 and 107, 
is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) as 
        subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f),  subsections (b), (c), and 
        (d) as subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Research Grants.--
            ``(1) Committee to develop list of priority research 
        areas.--The Committee shall develop a list of priority areas 
        for research and development on climate change that are not 
        being adequately addressed by Federal agencies. In the list, 
        the Committee shall identify the appropriate agency to lead the 
        such areas of research funded under paragraph (3)(A).
            ``(2) Director of ostp to transmit list to nsf.--The 
        Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 
        transmit the list to the National Science Foundation.
            ``(3) Funding through nsf.--
                    ``(A) Budget request.--The National Science 
                Foundation shall include, as part of the annual request 
                for appropriations for the Science and Technology 
                Policy Institute, a request for appropriations to fund 
                research in the priority areas on the list developed 
                under paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Authorization.--For fiscal year 2008 and each 
                fiscal year thereafter, there are authorized to be 
                appropriated to the National Science Foundation not 
                less than $30,000,000, to be made available through the 
                Science and Technology Policy Institute, for research 
                in those priority areas.''.

SEC. 109. EVALUATION OF INFORMATION.

    Section 106 (15 U.S.C. 2936) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``SCIENTIFIC'' in the section heading;
            (2) by striking ``On a periodic basis (not less frequently 
        than every 4 years), the Council, through the Committee, shall 
        prepare and submit to the President and the Congress an 
        assessment'' and inserting ``On a periodic basis (not less 
        frequently than every 4 years), the President shall submit to 
        Congress a single, integrated, comprehensive assessment'';
            (3) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in paragraph 
        (2); and
            (4) by striking ``years.'' in paragraph (3) and inserting 
        ``years; and''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) evaluates the information being developed under this 
        title, considering in particular its usefulness to local, 
        State, and national decisionmakers, as well as to other 
        stakeholders such as the private sector, after providing a 
        meaningful opportunity for the consideration of the views of 
        such stakeholders on the effectiveness of the Program and the 
        usefulness of the information.''.

SEC. 110. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION.

    Section 108 (15 U.S.C. 2938) is amended by striking subsection (c).
     Section 108(c) (15 U.S.C. 2938(c)) is amended by striking 
``stratospheric ozone depletion or''.

<DELETED>SEC. 111. ICE SHEET STUDY AND REPORT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Requirement.--The Director of the National 
        Science Foundation and the Administrator of National Oceanic 
        and Atmospheric Administration shall enter into an arrangement 
        with the National Academy of Sciences to complete a study of 
        the current status of ice sheet melt and movement, as caused by 
        climate change, with implications for global sea level 
        rise.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The study shall take into 
        consideration--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the past research completed related to 
                ice sheet melt as reviewed by Working Group I of the 
                Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) additional research published since 
                the fall of 2005 that was not included in the Working 
                Group I report due to time constraints; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the need for an accurate assessment of 
                changes in ice sheet spreading, changes in ice sheet 
                flow, self-lubrication, the corresponding effect on ice 
                sheets, and current modeling capabilities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the National Academy of Sciences 
        shall transmit to the Committee on Science and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the key 
        findings of the study conducted under subsection (a), along 
        with recommendations for additional research related to ice 
        sheet melt and corresponding sea level rise.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 112. HURRICANE FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY STUDY AND 
              REPORT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Requirement.--The Administrator of the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the 
        Director of the National Science Foundation shall enter into an 
        arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to complete a 
        study of the current state of the science on the potential 
        impacts of climate change on patterns of tropical cyclone 
        (hurricane and typhoon) development, including storm intensity, 
        track, and frequency, overall destructive power, precipitation 
        amount and intensity, runoff and flooding, and the implications 
        for hurricane-prone and typhoon-prone coastal 
        regions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The study shall take into 
        consideration--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the past research completed related to 
                hurricane and typhoon development, track, and intensity 
                as reviewed by Working Groups I and II of the 
                Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) additional research completed since 
                the fall of 2005 that was not included in the Working 
                Group I and II reports due to time 
                constraints;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the need for accurate assessment of 
                potential changes in hurricane and typhoon intensity, 
                track, and frequency and of the current modeling and 
                forecasting capabilities and the need for improvements 
                in forecasting of these parameters; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the need for additional research, 
                real-time observation, and monitoring to improve 
                forecasting of hurricanes and typhoons and to 
                understand the relationship between climate change and 
                hurricane and typhoon development.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the National Academy of Sciences 
        shall transmit to the Committee on Science and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the key 
        findings of the study conducted under subsection (a).</DELETED>

SEC. 111. REPORTING.

    Within 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
in consultation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration and the Secretary of the Air Force, shall transmit 
to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 
the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology a 
report describing the strategy to restore the decommissioned and scaled 
down climate sensors scheduled for the National Polar-orbiting 
Operational Environmental Satellite System and the Geostationary 
Operational Environmental Satellites-R Series, include a budget and 
schedule.

SEC. 112. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF GCRP PRODUCTS.

    (a) NSF Contract Authority.--Within 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the National Science Foundation shall execute a 
contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to conduct 
the reviews required by subsections (b) and (c) and such additional 
reviews as the National Academy of Public Administration deems 
warranted.
    (b) Implementation of Act.--Within 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the National Academy of Public Administration 
shall--
            (1) conduct an independent review of the implementation of 
        the Global Change Research Act of 1990 and the National Climate 
        Service, and the extent to which scientific communications and 
        findings are inappropriately subjected to non-scientific policy 
        considerations, including a review of the process used by 
        participating agencies to contribute information to the Global 
        Change Research Program and the National Climate Service and 
        for clearing testimony and other communications to the Congress 
        regarding the Global Change Research Program and the National 
        Climate Service; and
            (2) report the results of the review, together with any 
        recommendations the National Academy of Public Administration 
        deems appropriate, to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives 
        Committee on Science and Technology.
    (c) Global Change Research Program Products.--Within 180 days after 
the date on which each strategic plan required by section 104 and 
within 180 days after the date on which each national assessment 
required by section 106 has been submitted to the Congress, the 
National Academy of Public Administration shall--
            (1) conduct an independent review of the process undertaken 
        by the Global Change Research Program in developing the 
        strategic plan and the national assessments that evaluates the 
        extent to which scientific communications and findings were 
        inappropriately subjected to nonscientific policy consideration 
        (including an assessment of whether findings included, or 
        proposed for inclusion, in the reports were modified or not 
        included due to nonscientific policy considerations); and
            (2) report the results of the review, together with any 
        recommendations the National Academy of Public Administration 
        deems appropriate, to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives 
        Committee on Science and Technology.
    (d) Public Participation.--In conducting the reviews, the National 
Academy of Public Administration shall provide notice and opportunity 
for public discussion and comment on any process evaluated under this 
section.
    (e) Confidentiality.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to 
the contrary, the National Academy of Public Administration shall 
maintain as confidential, and refuse to disclose publicly, the identity 
of any individual interviewed as part of a review conducted under this 
section.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation $1,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out this section.

SEC. 113. SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS.

    The President shall establish guidelines and implement a plan that 
requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and other Federal 
agencies with scientific research programs to adopt policies that 
ensure the integrity of scientific communications. Such policies shall 
include provisions that ensure that final text and communications are 
approved by the scientist or scientists who authored the report or 
communication, and that enable scientists to disseminate research 
results and freely communicate with the Congress, the media, and 
colleagues in a timely fashion. Such policies shall include provisions 
regarding the approval of final text and communications, and enable 
scientists to disseminate research results and freely communicate with 
the Congress, the media, and colleagues in a timely fashion.

SEC. 114. AGING WORKFORCE ISSUES PROGRAM.

    The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration shall implement a program to address aging work force 
issues in climate science, global change, and other focuses of NOAA 
research that--
            (1) documents technical and management experiences before 
        senior employees leave the Administration, including--
                    (A) documenting lessons learned;
                    (B) briefing organizations;
                    (C) providing opportunities for archiving lessons 
                in a database; and
                    (D) providing opportunities for near-term retirees 
                to transition out early from their primary assignment 
                in order to document their career lessons learned and 
                brief new employees prior to their separation from the 
                Administration;
            (2) provides incentives for retirees to return and teach 
        new employees about their career lessons and experiences; and
            (3) provides for the development of an award to recognize 
        and reward outstanding senior employees for their contributions 
        to knowledge sharing.

SEC. 115. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of 
carrying out this Act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 
2008 through 2012. 2009 through 2013. Of the amounts appropriated for 
that fiscal year period--
            (1) $4,000,000 shall be made available to the Global Change 
        Research Coordination Office through the Office of Science and 
        Technology Policy for each of such fiscal years; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary shall be made available 
        to--
                    (A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration for each of such fiscal years;
                    (B) the National Science Foundation for each of 
                such fiscal years;
                    (C) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration for each of such fiscal years; and
                    (D) other Federal agencies participating in the 
                Program, to the extent funds remain available after the 
                application of paragraph (1) and subparagraphs (A), 
                (B), and (C) of this paragraph, for each of such fiscal 
                years.

         <DELETED>TITLE II--NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 201. AMENDMENT OF NATIONAL CLIMATE PROGRAM ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The National Climate Program Act (15 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) 
is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the 
``National Climate Service Act of 2007''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this 
Act is as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
<DELETED>``Sec. 2. Findings.
<DELETED>``Sec. 3. Purpose.
<DELETED>``Sec. 4. National Climate Service.
<DELETED>``Sec. 5. Contract and grant authority.
<DELETED>``Sec. 6. Annual report.
<DELETED>``Sec. 7. Definitions.
<DELETED>``Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

<DELETED>``SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``The Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Weather, climate change, and climate 
        variability affect public safety, environmental services and 
        security, human health, agriculture, energy use, water 
        resources, and other factors vital to national security and 
        human welfare.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) The present rate of advance of national 
        efforts in research and development and the application of such 
        advances is inadequate to meet the challenges posed by observed 
        and projected rates of climate change and climate variability 
        and the increasing demand for information to guide planning and 
        response across all sectors.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) The United States lacks adequate research, 
        infrastructure, and coordinated outreach and communication 
        mechanisms to meet national climate monitoring, prediction, and 
        decision support needs for adapting to and mitigating the 
        impacts of climate change and climate variability.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Information regarding climate change and 
        climate variability is not being fully disseminated or used, 
        and Federal efforts have given insufficient attention to 
        assessing and applying this information.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Climate change and climate variability occur 
        on a global basis making international cooperation essential 
        for the purpose of sharing the benefits and costs of a global 
        effort to understand and communicate these changes.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 3. PURPOSE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``It is the purpose of this Act to establish a National 
Climate Service that will advance the national interest and associated 
international concerns in understanding, forecasting, responding, 
adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of natural and human-induced 
climate change and climate variability.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 4. NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a National Climate 
Service not later than a year after the date of the enactment of the 
Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007. The Service shall 
include a national center and a network of regional and local 
facilities for operational climate monitoring and prediction.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The Service shall produce and 
        deliver authoritative, timely and usable information about 
        climate change, climate variability, trends, and impacts on 
        local, State, regional, national, and global scales.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Specific services.--The Service, at a 
        minimum, shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(A) provide comprehensive and authoritative 
        information about the state of the climate and its effects, 
        through observations, monitoring, data, information, and 
        products that accurately reflect climate trends and 
        conditions;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(B) provide predictions and projections on the 
        future state of the climate in support of adaptation, 
        preparedness, attribution, and mitigation;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(C) utilize appropriate research from the United 
        States Global Change Research Program activities and conduct 
        focused research, as needed, to enhance understanding, 
        information and predictions of the current and future state of 
        the climate and its impacts that is relevant to policy, 
        planning, and decision making;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(D) utilize assessments from the Global Change 
        Research Program activities and conduct focused assessments as 
        needed to enhance understanding of the impacts of climate 
        change and climate variability;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(E) assess and strengthen delivery mechanisms 
        for providing climate information to end users;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(F) communicate climate data, conditions, 
        predictions, projections, indicators, and risks on an ongoing 
        basis to decision- and policy- makers, the private sector, and 
        to the public;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(G) coordinate and collaborate on climate 
        change, climate variability, and impacts activities with 
        municipal, state, regional, national and international agencies 
        and organizations, as appropriate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(H) support the Department of State and 
        international agencies and organizations, as well as domestic 
        agencies and organizations, involved in assessing and 
        responding to climate change and climate variability.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Action Plan.--Within 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation and the House Committee on Science and Technology a 
plan of action for the National Climate Service. The plan, at a 
minimum, shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) provide for the interpretation and 
        communication of climate data, conditions, predictions, 
        projections, and risks on an on-going basis to decision and 
        policy makers at the local, regional, and national 
        levels;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) design, deploy, and operate an adequate 
        national climate observing system that closes gaps in existing 
        coverage;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) support infrastructure and ability to 
        archive and quality ensure climate data, and make federally-
        funded model simulations and other relevant climate information 
        available from the Global Change Research Program activities 
        and other sources (and related data from paleoclimate 
        studies).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) include a program for long-term stewardship, 
        quality control, development of relevant climate products, and 
        efficient access to all relevant climate data, products, and 
        model simulations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) establish a national coordinated modeling 
        strategy, including a national climate modeling center to 
        provide a dedicated capability for modeling and forecasting, 
        scenarios and planning resources, and a regular schedule of 
        projections on long- and short-term time horizons over a range 
        of scales, including regional scales;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) improve integrated modeling, assessment, and 
        predictive capabilities needed to document and predict climate 
        changes and impacts, and to guide national, regional, and local 
        planning and decision making;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) provide a system of regular consultation and 
        coordination with Federal agencies, States, Tribes, non-
        governmental organizations, the private sector and the academic 
        community to ensure--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) that the information requirements of 
                these groups are well incorporated; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) timely and full sharing, 
                dissemination and use of climate information and 
                services in risk preparedness, planning, decision 
                making, and early warning and natural resources 
                management, both domestically and 
                internationally;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) develop standards, evaluation criteria and 
        performance objectives to ensure that the Service meets the 
        evolving information needs of the public, policy makers and 
        decision makers in the face of a changing climate;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(9) develop funding estimates to implement the 
        plan; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(10) support competitive research programs that 
        will improve elements of the Service described in this Act 
        through the Climate Program Office within the Service 
        headquarter function.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Coordination With the USGCRP.--The Service shall 
utilize appropriate research from Global Change Research Program 
activities to enhance understanding, information and predictions of the 
current and future state of the climate and its impacts that is 
relevant to policy and decisions. The Service shall provide appropriate 
information about the current and future state of the climate and its 
impacts that are useful for research purposes to relevant Global Change 
Research Program activities. The Director of the Service will serve as 
a liaison to the Global Change Research Program and a member of the 
Global Change Research Program should serve on the Advisory 
Council.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Director.--The Administrator shall appoint a 
director of the Service, who shall oversee all processes associated 
with managing the organization and executing the functions and actions 
described in this Title. The Director will serve as a liaison to the 
Global Change Research Program to ensure the transition of research 
into services and to provide services to meet the needs of 
research.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) National Climate Service Advisory Council.--The 
Administrator shall, in consultation with the majority and minority 
leaders of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science 
and Technology, and the National Academy of Sciences, appoint the 
membership of a National Climate Service Advisory Council, with members 
serving 4-year terms and include a diverse membership from appropriate 
Federal, State and local government, universities, non-government and 
private sectors who use climate information and cover a range of 
sectors, such as water, drought, fisheries, coasts, agriculture, 
health, natural resources, transportation, and insurance. The Council 
shall advise the Director of the Service of key priorities in climate-
related issues that require the attention of the Service. The Council 
shall be responsible for ensuring coordination across regional and 
national concerns and the assessment of evolving information 
needs.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 5. CONTRACT AND GRANT AUTHORITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``Functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by 
this Act or under the Program may be exercised through the facilities 
and personnel of the agency involved or, to the extent provided or 
approved in advance in appropriation Acts, by other persons or entities 
under contracts or grant arrangements entered into by such officer or 
agency.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 6. ANNUAL REPORT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President 
and the authorizing committees of the Congress, not later than March 31 
of each year, a report on the activities conducted pursuant to this Act 
during the preceding fiscal year, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) a summary of the achievements of the 
        National Climate Service during the previous fiscal year; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) an analysis of the progress made toward 
        achieving the goals and objectives of the Service.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' 
        means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Advisory Council.--The term `Advisory 
        Council' refers to the Climate Services Advisory 
        Council.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Climate change.--The term `climate change' 
        means any change in climate over time, whether due to natural 
        variability or as a result of human activity.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Climate variability.--The term `climate 
        variability' means variations in the mean state and other 
        statistics of the climate on all temporal and spatial scales 
        beyond that of individual weather events.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Director.--The term `Director' means the 
        Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration's National Climate Service.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Global change research program.--The term 
        `Global Change Research Program' means the United States Global 
        Change Research Program established under section 103 of the 
        Global Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2933).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the 
        Secretary of Commerce.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) Service.--The term `Service' means the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National 
        Climate Service.</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
to carry out this Act--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2012.''.</DELETED>

                   TITLE II--NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE

SEC. 201. AMENDMENT OF NATIONAL CLIMATE PROGRAM ACT.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this title an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the National Climate Program 
Act (15 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.).

SEC. 202. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    Section 1 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 2901 note) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    ``(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the `National Climate 
Service Act of 2007'.
    ``(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

``Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
``Sec. 2. Findings.
``Sec. 3. Purpose.
``Sec. 4. Definitions.
``Sec. 5. National Climate Program.
``Sec. 6. National Climate Service.
``Sec. 7. Contract and grant authority.
``Sec. 8. Annual report.
``Sec. 9. Authorization of appropriations.''.

SEC. 203. FINDINGS.

    Section 2 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 2901) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    ``The Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) Climate change and related hazards affect public 
        safety, environmental services and security, human health, 
        agriculture, energy use, water resources, wildlife and other 
        natural resources, and other factors vital to national security 
        and human welfare.
            ``(2) The present rate of advance of national efforts in 
        research and development and the application of such advances 
        is inadequate to meet the challenges posed by observed and 
        projected rates of climate change and the increasing demand for 
        information to guide planning and response across all sectors.
            ``(3) The United States lacks adequate research, 
        infrastructure, and coordinated outreach and communication 
        mechanisms to meet national climate monitoring, prediction, and 
        decision support needs for adapting to and mitigating the 
        impacts of climate change.
            ``(4) Information regarding climate change is not being 
        fully disseminated or used, and Federal efforts have given 
        insufficient attention to assessing and applying this 
        information.
            ``(5) Climate change occurs on a global basis making 
        international cooperation essential for the purpose of sharing 
        the benefits and costs of a global effort to understand and 
        communicate these changes.''.

SEC. 204. PURPOSE.

    Section 3 (15 U.S.C. 2902) is amended by striking ``implications.'' 
and inserting ``implications and to establish a National Climate 
Service that will advance the national interest and associated 
international concerns in understanding, forecasting, responding, 
adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of natural and human-induced 
climate change and climate variability.''.

SEC. 205. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 4 (15 U.S.C. 2903) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``As used in this Act, unless the context 
        otherwise requires:'' and inserting ``In this Act:'';
            (2) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and redesignating 
        paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (6) and (7), respectively;
            (3) by inserting before paragraph (6), as redesignated, the 
        following:
            ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            ``(2) Advisory Council.--The term `Advisory Council' refers 
        to the Climate Services Advisory Council.
            ``(3) Climate change.--The term `climate change' means any 
        change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability 
        or as a result of human activity.
            ``(4) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National 
        Climate Service.
            ``(5) Global change research program.--The term `Global 
        Change Research Program' means the United States Global Change 
        Research Program established under section 103 of the Global 
        Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2933).'';
            (4) by inserting ``Program.--'' before ``The term'' in 
        paragraph (6), as redesignated;
            (5) by inserting ``Secretary.--'' before ``The term'' in 
        paragraph (7), as redesignated;
            (6) by striking ``Commerce.'' in paragraph (7), as 
        redesignated, and inserting ``Commerce, acting through the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.''; and
            (7) by adding at the end thereof the following:
            ``(8) Service.--The term `Service' means the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climate 
        Service.''.

SEC. 206. NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE.

    (a) In General.--The Act is amended by striking sections 7 and 8 
(15 U.S.C. 2906 and 2907, respectively) and inserting after section 5 
the following:

``SEC. 6. NATIONAL CLIMATE SERVICE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a National 
        Climate Service not later than a year after the date of the 
        enactment of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 
        2007. The Service shall include a national center and a network 
        of regional and local facilities for operational climate 
        monitoring and prediction.
            ``(2) Duties.--The Service shall produce and deliver 
        authoritative, timely and usable information about climate 
        change, climate variability, trends, and impacts on local, 
        State, regional, national, and global scales.
            ``(3) Specific services.--The Service, at a minimum, 
        shall--
            ``(A) provide comprehensive and authoritative information 
        about the state of the climate and its effects, through 
        observations, monitoring, data, information, and products that 
        accurately reflect climate trends and conditions;
            ``(B) provide predictions and projections on the future 
        state of the climate in support of adaptation, preparedness, 
        attribution, and mitigation;
            ``(C) utilize appropriate research from the United States 
        Global Change Research Program activities and conduct focused 
        research, as needed, to enhance understanding, information and 
        predictions of the current and future state of the climate and 
        its impacts that is relevant to policy, planning, and decision 
        making;
            ``(D) utilize assessments from the Global Change Research 
        Program activities and conduct focused assessments as needed to 
        enhance understanding of the impacts of climate change and 
        climate variability;
            ``(E) assess and strengthen delivery mechanisms for 
        providing climate information to end users;
            ``(F) communicate climate data, conditions, predictions, 
        projections, indicators, and risks on an ongoing basis to 
        decision- and policy- makers, the private sector, and to the 
        public;
            ``(G) coordinate and collaborate on climate change, climate 
        variability, and impacts activities with municipal, state, 
        regional, national and international agencies and 
        organizations, as appropriate;
            ``(H) support the Department of State and international 
        agencies and organizations, as well as domestic agencies and 
        organizations, involved in assessing and responding to climate 
        change and climate variability;
            ``(I) establish an atmospheric monitoring and verification 
        program utilizing aircraft, satellite, ground sensors, ocean 
        and coastal observing systems, and modeling capabilities to 
        monitor, measure, and verify greenhouse gas levels, dates, and 
        emissions throughout the global oceans and atmosphere; and
            ``(J) issue an annual report that identifies greenhouse 
        emission and trends on a local, regional, and national level 
        and identifies emissions or reductions attributable to 
        individual or multiple sources covered by the program 
        established under subparagraph (I).
    ``(b) Action Plan.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment of 
the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology a 
plan of action for the National Climate Service. The plan, at a 
minimum, shall--
            ``(1) provide for the interpretation and communication of 
        climate data, conditions, predictions, projections, and risks 
        on an on-going basis to decision and policy makers at the 
        local, regional, and national levels;
            ``(2) design, deploy, and operate an adequate national 
        climate observing system that closes gaps in existing coverage;
            ``(3) support infrastructure and ability to archive and 
        quality ensure climate data, and make federally-funded model 
        simulations and other relevant climate information available 
        from the Global Change Research Program activities and other 
        sources (and related data from paleoclimate studies).
            ``(4) include a program for long-term stewardship, quality 
        control, development of relevant climate products, and 
        efficient access to all relevant climate data, products, and 
        model simulations;
            ``(5) establish--
                    ``(A) a national coordinated computing strategy, 
                including establishing a new, or supplementing support 
                for existing, national climate computing capability to 
                provide dedicated computing capacity for modeling and 
                forecasting, scenarios, and planning resources, and a 
                regular schedule of projections on long- and short-term 
                time horizons over a range of scales, including 
                regional scales; and
                    ``(B) a mechanism to allow access to such capacity 
                by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
                the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and 
                National Science Foundation sponsored researchers;
            ``(6) improve integrated modeling, assessment, and 
        predictive capabilities needed to document and predict climate 
        changes and impacts, and to guide national, regional, and local 
        planning and decision making;
            ``(7) provide a system of regular consultation and 
        coordination with Federal agencies, States, Indian tribes, non-
        governmental organizations, the private sector and the academic 
        community to ensure--
                    ``(A) that the information requirements of these 
                groups are well incorporated; and
                    ``(B) timely and full sharing, dissemination and 
                use of climate information and services in risk 
                preparedness, planning, decision making, and early 
                warning and natural resources management, both 
                domestically and internationally;
            ``(8) develop standards, evaluation criteria and 
        performance objectives to ensure that the Service meets the 
        evolving information needs of the public, policy makers and 
        decision makers in the face of a changing climate;
            ``(9) develop funding estimates to implement the plan; and
            ``(10) support competitive research programs that will 
        improve elements of the Service described in this Act through 
        the Climate Program Office within the Service headquarter 
        function.
    ``(c) Coordination With the USGCRP.--The Service shall utilize 
appropriate research from Global Change Research Program activities to 
enhance understanding, information and predictions of the current and 
future state of the climate and its impacts that is relevant to policy 
and decisions. The Service shall provide appropriate information about 
the current and future state of the climate and its impacts that are 
useful for research purposes to relevant Global Change Research Program 
activities. The Director of the Service will serve as a liaison to the 
Global Change Research Program and a member of the Global Change 
Research Program should serve on the Advisory Council.
    ``(d) Director.--The Administrator shall appoint a director of the 
Service, who shall oversee all processes associated with managing the 
organization and executing the functions and actions described in this 
Act. The Director will serve as a liaison to the Global Change Research 
Program to ensure the transition of research into services and to 
provide services to meet the needs of research.
    ``(e) National Climate Service Advisory Council.--The Administrator 
shall, in consultation with the chairmen and ranking minority party 
members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science 
and Technology, and the National Academy of Sciences, appoint the 
membership of a National Climate Service Advisory Council composed of 
15 members, with members serving 4-year terms and include a diverse 
membership from appropriate Federal, State and local government, 
universities, non-government and private sectors who use climate 
information and cover a range of sectors, such as water, drought, 
fisheries, coasts, agriculture, health, natural resources, 
transportation, and insurance. The Council shall advise the Director of 
the Service of key priorities in climate-related issues that require 
the attention of the Service. The Council shall be responsible for 
ensuring coordination across regional and national concerns and the 
assessment of evolving information needs.

``SEC. 7. CONTRACT AND GRANT AUTHORITY.

    ``Functions vested in any Federal officer or agency by this Act or 
under the Program may be exercised through the facilities and personnel 
of the agency involved or, to the extent provided or approved in 
advance in appropriation Acts, by other persons or entities under 
contracts or grant arrangements entered into by such officer or agency.

``SEC. 8. ANNUAL REPORT.

    ``The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President and the 
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House 
of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, as part of the 
annual report to meet the requirements of section 102(e)(7) of the 
Global Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2932(e)(7)), a report on 
the activities conducted pursuant to this Act during the preceding 
fiscal year, including--
            ``(1) a summary of the achievements of the National Climate 
        Service during the previous fiscal year; and
            ``(2) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the 
        goals and objectives of the Service.''.
    (b) Sunset of Current Provisions.--Section 5 (15 U.S.C. 2904) is 
amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
    ``(h) Sunset.--The provisions of this section shall not apply after 
the date of enactment of the Global Change Research Improvement Act of 
2007.''.

SEC. 207. REAUTHORIZATION.

    Section 9 (15 U.S.C. 2908) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out sections 6, 7, and 8 of this Act--
            ``(1) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(2) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
            ``(4) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
            ``(5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.''.

                    TITLE III--TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

SEC. 301. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT SERVICE.

    The National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and 
Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

    ``TITLE VII--NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT SERVICE

``SEC. 701. ESTABLISHMENT.

    ``There is hereby created a Science and Technology Assessment 
Service which shall be within and responsible to the legislative branch 
of the Government.

``SEC. 702. COMPOSITION.

    ``The Service shall consist of a Science and Technology Board which 
shall formulate and promulgate the policies of the Service, and a 
Director who shall carry out such policies and administer the 
operations of the Service.

``SEC. 703. FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES.

    ``The Service shall coordinate and develop information for Congress 
relating to the uses and application of technology to address current 
national science and technology policy issues. In developing such 
technical assessments for Congress, the Service shall utilize, to the 
extent practicable, experts selected in coordination with the National 
Research Council.

``SEC. 704. INITIATION OF ACTIVITIES.

    ``Science and technology assessment activities undertaken by the 
Service may be initiated upon the request of--
            ``(1) the Chairman of any standing, special, or select 
        committee of either House of the Congress, or of any joint 
        committee of the Congress, acting for himself or at the request 
        of the ranking minority member or a majority of the committee 
        members;
            ``(2) the Board; or
            ``(3) the Director.

``SEC. 705. ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT.

    ``The Director of the Science and Technology Assessment Service 
shall be appointed by the Board and shall serve for a term of 6 years 
unless sooner removed by the Board. The Director shall receive basic 
pay at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5314 of title 5, United States Code. The Director shall 
contract for administrative support from the Library of Congress.

``SEC. 706. AUTHORITY.

    ``The Service shall have the authority, within the limits of 
available appropriations, to do all things necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this section, including, but without being limited to, 
the authority to--
            ``(1) make full use of competent personnel and 
        organizations outside the Office, public or private, and form 
        special ad hoc task forces or make other arrangements when 
        appropriate;
            ``(2) enter into contracts or other arrangements as may be 
        necessary for the conduct of the work of the Office with any 
        agency or instrumentality of the United States, with any State, 
        territory, or possession or any political subdivision thereof, 
        or with any person, firm, association, corporation, or 
        educational institution, with or without reimbursement, without 
        performance or other bonds, and without regard to section 3709 
        of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 51);
            ``(3) accept and utilize the services of voluntary and 
        uncompensated personnel necessary for the conduct of the work 
        of the Service and provide transportation and subsistence as 
        authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for 
        persons serving without compensation; and
            ``(4) prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems 
        necessary governing the operation and organization of the 
        Service.

``SEC. 707. BOARD.

    ``The Board shall consist of 13 members as follows--
            ``(1) 6 Members of the Senate, appointed by the President 
        pro tempore of the Senate, 3 from the majority party and 3 from 
        the minority party;
            ``(2) 6 Members of the House of Representatives appointed 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 3 from the 
        majority party and 3 from the minority party; and
            ``(3) the Director, who shall not be a voting member.

``SEC. 708. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``The Service shall submit to the Congress an annual report which 
shall include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of technology 
assessment techniques and identification, insofar as may be feasible, 
of technological areas and programs requiring future analysis. The 
annual report shall be submitted not later than March 15 of each year.

``SEC. 709. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Service such sums 
as are necessary to fulfill the requirements of this title.''.

                  TITLE IV--CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY

SEC. 401. NIST GREENHOUSE GAS FUNCTIONS.

    Section 2(c) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in paragraph 
        (21);
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (22) as paragraph (23); and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (21) the following:
            ``(22) perform research to develop enhanced measurements, 
        calibrations, standards, and technologies which will enable the 
        reduced production in the United States of greenhouse gases 
        associated with global warming, including carbon dioxide, 
        methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, perfluorocarbons, 
        hydrofluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride; and''.

SEC. 402. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES.

    The Secretary of Commerce shall initiate a program to develop, with 
technical assistance from appropriate Federal agencies, innovative 
standards and measurement technologies (including technologies to 
measure carbon changes due to changes in land use cover) to calculate--
            (1) greenhouse gas emissions and reductions from 
        sequestration, agriculture, forestry, and other land use 
        practices;
            (2) noncarbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions from 
        transportation;
            (3) greenhouse gas emissions from facilities or sources 
        using remote sensing technology; and
            (4) any other greenhouse gas emission or reductions for 
        which no accurate or reliable measurement technology exists.

SEC. 403. ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS AND STANDARDS.

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
271 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 17 through 32 as sections 18 
        through 33, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 16 the following:

``SEC. 17. CLIMATE CHANGE STANDARDS AND PROCESSES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director shall establish within the 
Institute a program to perform and support research on global climate 
change standards and processes, with the goal of providing scientific 
and technical knowledge applicable to the reduction of greenhouse gases 
(as defined in section 4 of the Global Climate Change Act of 2002).
    ``(b) Research Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director is authorized to conduct, 
        directly or through contracts or grants, a global climate 
        change standards and processes research program.
            ``(2) Research projects.--The specific contents and 
        priorities of the research program shall be determined in 
        consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, including the 
        Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration. The program generally shall include basic 
        and applied research--
                    ``(A) to develop and provide the enhanced 
                measurements, calibrations, data, models, and reference 
                material standards which will enable the monitoring of 
                greenhouse gases;
                    ``(B) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, and innovative technologies for reducing 
                greenhouse gas emissions in existing industries;
                    ``(C) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, measurement tools, and calibrations that 
                will enhance and promote remote sensing technologies;
                    ``(D) to assist in establishing a baseline 
                reference point for future trading in greenhouse gases 
                and the measurement of progress in emissions reduction;
                    ``(E) to develop and provide standards, 
                measurements, measurement tools, calibrations, data, 
                models, and other innovative technologies to support 
                the validation and accreditation of a greenhouse gas 
                trading industry;
                    ``(F) to assist in developing improved industrial 
                processes designed to reduce or eliminate greenhouse 
                gases, including the development of measurement tools 
                and standards to validate and accredit a carbon offset 
                industry; and
                    ``(G) that will be exchanged internationally as 
                scientific or technical information which has the 
                stated purpose of developing mutually recognized 
                measurements, standards, and procedures for reducing 
                greenhouse gases.
    ``(c) National Measurement Laboratories.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Director shall utilize the collective skills of the National 
        Measurement Laboratories of the National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology to improve the accuracy of measurements that 
        will permit better understanding and control of these 
        industrial chemical processes and result in the reduction or 
        elimination of greenhouse gases.
            ``(2) Material, process, and building research.--The 
        National Measurement Laboratories shall conduct research under 
        this subsection that includes--
                    ``(A) developing material and manufacturing 
                processes which are designed for energy efficiency and 
                reduced greenhouse gas emissions into the environment;
                    ``(B) developing environmentally-friendly, `green' 
                chemical processes to be used by industry; and
                    ``(C) enhancing building performance with a focus 
                in developing standards or tools which will help 
                incorporate low- or no-emission technologies into 
                building designs.
            ``(3) Standards and tools.--The National Measurement 
        Laboratories shall develop standards and tools under this 
        subsection that include software to assist designers in 
        selecting alternate building materials, performance data on 
        materials, artificial intelligence-aided design procedures for 
        building subsystems and `smart buildings', and improved test 
        methods and rating procedures for evaluating the energy 
        performance of residential and commercial appliances and 
        products.
    ``(d) National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program.--The 
Director shall utilize the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation 
Program under this section to establish a program to include specific 
calibration or test standards and related methods and protocols 
assembled to satisfy the unique needs for accreditation in measuring 
the production of greenhouse gases. In carrying out this subsection the 
Director may cooperate with other departments and agencies of the 
Federal Government, State and local governments, and private 
organizations.''.

SEC. 404. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFUSION.

    The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, may develop a 
program to support the implementation of new ``green'' manufacturing 
technologies and techniques by the more than 380,000 small business 
manufacturers.

SEC. 405. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out this title 
and section 17 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
Act as added by section 403 of this title, $15,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2008 through 2010. 2009 through 2013.

                     TITLE V--ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE

SEC. 501. ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Commerce shall establish within the Office of 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, and shall carry out, a program of 
scientific research on abrupt climate change.

SEC. 502. PURPOSES OF PROGRAM.

    The purposes of the program are--
            (1) to develop a global array of terrestrial and 
        oceanographic indicators of paleoclimate in order to 
        sufficiently identify and describe past instances of abrupt 
        climate change;
            (2) to improve understanding of thresholds and 
        nonlinearities in geophysical systems related to the mechanisms 
        of abrupt climate change;
            (3) to incorporate such mechanisms into advanced 
        geophysical models of climate change; and
            (4) to test the output of such models against an improved 
        global array of records of past abrupt climate changes.

SEC. 503. ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE DEFINED.

    In this title, the term ``abrupt climate change'' means a change in 
the climate that occurs so rapidly or unexpectedly that human or 
natural systems have difficulty adapting to the climate as changed.

SEC. 504. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Commerce for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2014, 2013, to remain 
available until expended, such sums as are necessary, not to exceed 
$10,000,000, to carry out the research program required by section 501.
                                                       Calendar No. 752

110th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2307

                          [Report No. 110-341]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To amend the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 22, 2008

                        Reported with amendments